The Gift of Tithing

If you find yourself repeatedly struggling in the area of finances, could you be living under a curse?

Take some time to read the entire chapter of Malachi 3 (I chose The Message Bible) today and consider this as you do:

1). At the time God spoke through the prophet Malachi, Israel was in a state of rebellion against God breaking every one of the ten commandments. (v 7)
2). God didn’t destroy them because of his previous promises to Jacob despite their disobedience. (v 6)
3). God said to tithe to HIM. He said that tithing AND offering were the START of a return to him. (v 10)
4). God likened the lack of tithing to a) robbing him and b) dishonesty. ( v 8)
5). Those who tithe are GUARANTEED blessings beyond their “wildest dreams” in addition to divine protection. (v 10)
6). Those robbing God will live under a curse. (v 9)
It’s God’s divine law of reaping & sowing.

I don’t have a “church home.”

I tithed off and on. Because I felt I didn’t have a church to tithe to, for a long time I would give away 10% of my earnings through private donations.

That’s not what God said to do. I kept getting a nudging saying “That’s all good, but be clear: each time you give you are making offerings. If you are not tithing to a ministry, it’s an offering.”
“Begin by being honest.”
“Bring your FULL tithes to the Temple Treasury.”
Here’s what some folks don’t want to hear: You CANNOT dictate HOW to tithe.

The tithe is to be given to a ministry to further Kingdom interests. Your FULL tithe. We can’t split it up any way we want.
The offering? You can choose where to sow those seeds. So, be clear: If you decide to help a single mom buy groceries, that’s an amazing offering.

Nothing about that is a tithe.

That means you are robbing God according to Malachi 3:9.
You are also voluntarily subjecting your finances to a curse while depriving yourself of God’s guaranteed protection.
So, if you don’t belong to a church how can you tithe?

There are two ministries that have changed my life. One is in Colorado, the other in Georgia. I live in South Carolina. They feed me WELL. And if I lived in either of those States, that’s where I’d go. However, I eat more from the table of one than the other and interact with the Pastor with prayer requests, etc. So, that’s where
I tithe.

I have tithed without fail since last June.
That’s when I got convicted because I’m not one of those Perfect People The Walls Group sings about 🙂

Guess what?

At the end of last year when I got my tithing report I was shocked. I take the money off the top the second it hits my bank account and pray as I complete the online transaction.

My tithes amounted to just over half of my TOTAL income for the previous year.

I never suffered financially because of my tithe during that time. I am learning to be wiser in my finances, but my tithing is non-negotiable.

Tithe. ALL of it.

And make offerings. Position yourself for God’s promise in Malachi.
Trust me; your life will never be the same.

What have you got to lose?

The tithe is a gift that keeps on giving.

Giving your tithe ensures that God will pour back into your finances!

There were times when I felt I couldn’t afford to tithe. The tithing money could have paid a bill. I soon realized that I coudn’t afford NOT to tithe. Eventually, instead of needing to make payment arrangements on my bills, I was able to pay every bill in full the moment it arrived.

If you can take a chance on a Powerball ticket, why can’t you test God in this as he asks us in Malachi 3:10?